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MLB's Speedway Classic at Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tn., is going to be quite the spectacle.

When the Cincinnati Reds and Atlanta Braves take the field on Saturday, they'll be the first MLB teams to stage a game at a NASCAR track—and will also be setting a new attendance record for MLB, as the venue will seat an astonishing number of fans: over 85,000.

Naturally, one would expect to see some seats in quirky areas, given that most MLB stadiums don't exceed 50,000 fans—Dodger Stadium, at 56,000 fans, is the biggest stadium in MLB.

But some seats at the Speedway Classic are so far away from the action, you have to see them to believe them.

Here's one such section, courtesy of Joe Danneman of Fox 19.

There's something to be said for the mindset of Though that logic may not apply here, given that this is such an odd and unique angle to watch a baseball game from.

Can one even watch a baseball game from this angle? Nobody knows.

At a venue such as SeatGeek, for example, one could procure a seat in this section in the $90-$100 range, albeit with the label that the view is "limited."

The Reds and Braves will start their engines for the Speedway Classic at 7:15 p.m. ET on Saturday.

The Padres were down to their final outs in the ninth inning against the Cubs on Thursday in Game 3 of the wild-card series. San Diego trailed 3–1 while down to their final three outs of the game, and potentially their season.

Xander Bogaerts was at the plate with a full count, and he was rung up on a brutal called third strike from home plate umpire D.J. Reyburn. The pitch from Brad Keller appeared to be below the strike zone, but Reyburn ruled it a strikeout, leaving Bogaerts bewildered.

Brown missed the corner with a 97-mph fastball, which Bogaerts rightfully opted against swinging at. Despite the good plate discipline, Bogaerts was sat down on strikes, which prompted Padres manager Mike Shildt to storm onto the field to express his dismay.

It's a critical miss from Reyburn. Keller missed the zone entirely yet was awarded an important out. He then proceeded to hit the next two batters, putting the tying run on base.

Given the situation, it's a mistake that simply can't be afforded from an umpire. When MLB introduces the ABS system, that would be a challengeable play by the batter. Instead, Bogaerts was left seething as he was robbed of a free pass to first base.

San Diego's comeback attempts were stalled, partly because of Reyburn's missed strikeout call, and they fell 3–1 to Chicago to bow out of the postseason.

أعلن الاتحاد الدولي لكرة القدم “فيفا” مواعيد مباريات كأس العالم 2026، دور المجموعات، والتي تنطلق في شهر يونيو المقبل.

وأجرى فيفا، قرعة كأس العالم أمس الجمعة، وتستضيف الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية، المكسيك، وكندا، منافسات المونديال في نسخته الجديدة بوجود 48 فريقًا للمرة الأولى في تاريخ المسابقة.

ويتواجد منتخب إسبانيا في المجموعة الثامنة، رفقة منتخبات السعودية، كاب فيردي وأوروجواي.

طالع مواعيد مباريات كأس العالم 2026 مواعيد مباريات مجموعة إسبانيا في كأس العالم 2026 

الجولة الأولى

مباراة إسبانيا ضد كاب فيردي

تلعب المباراة يوم 15 يونيو 2026 في تمام الساعة 12 ظهرًا بتوقيت أمريكا (7 مساءً بتوقيت مصر)، في أتلانتا.

مباراة السعودية ضد أوروجواي

تلعب المباراة يوم 15 يونيو 2026 في تمام الساعة 6 مساءً بتوقيت أمريكا (1 صباحًا بتوقيت مصر فجر يوم 16 يونيو)، في ميامي.

الجولة الثانية

مباراة إسبانيا ضد السعودية

يوم 21 يونيو 2026 في تمام الساعة 12 ظهرًا بتوقيت أمريكا (7 مساءً بتوقيت مصر)، في أتلانتا.

مباراة أوروجواي ضد كاب فيردي

يوم 21 يونيو 2026 في تمام الساعة 6 مساءً بتوقيت أمريكا (1 صباحًا بتوقيت مصر فجر يوم 22 يونيو)، في ميامي.

الجولة الثالثة

مباراة كاب فيردي ضد السعودية

يوم 26 يونيو 2026، في تمام الساعة الثامنة مساءً بتوقيت أمريكا (3 فجر يوم 27 يونيو بتوقيت مصر) في هيوستن.

مباراة أوروجواي ضد إسبانيا

يوم 26 يونيو 2026، في تمام الساعة الثامنة مساءً بتوقيت أمريكا (3 فجر يوم 27 يونيو بتوقيت مصر) في جوالاداخارا.

Former India great set to become the first capped male Indian player to play in the BBL with Thunder, Hurricanes, Sixers and Strikers all chasing him

Alex Malcolm and Sidharth Monga23-Sep-2025R Ashwin is set to become the first capped male India player to play in the BBL with four clubs vying for his services to play in the latter stages of the upcoming season.It is understood that Sydney Thunder, Hobart Hurricanes, Sydney Sixers and Adelaide Strikers are the four teams chasing Ashwin’s signature in what is set to be a major coup for the BBL. Thunder and Hurricanes appear to be the frontrunners for the India great with a deal likely to be finalised later this week.No internationally capped India male player has played in the BBL previously, but Ashwin’s retirement from the IPL earlier this year has opened the door for him to play franchise cricket overseas for the first time.Related

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R Ashwin brings curtain down on 'my time as an IPL cricketer'

Afridi, Rizwan and Rauf among top picks at BBL overseas drafts

All the BBL and WBBL squads for 2025-26 season

CA exploring BBL investment 'unashamedly' to be second behind IPL

Only retired Indian players are allowed by the BCCI to participate in overseas T20 leagues. Earlier this year, Dinesh Karthik played for Paarl Royals in the SA20. In 2023, Ambati Rayudu turned up to play for St Kitts & Nevis Patriots in the CPL, and then in January 2024 with MI Emirates in the ILT20. Robin Uthappa and Yusuf Pathan featured for Dubai Capitals in the ILT20. Two years ago, Suresh Raina was part of Deccan Gladiators in the Abu Dhabi T10.Ashwin has already committed to the first-ever ILT20 auction in the UAE, which will take place next Tuesday. If bought, he will play out the ILT20, which has changed dates for the upcoming season and will now run from December 2 until January 4.The BBL begins on December 14, and the home-and-away part of the season runs until January 18. The finals will be held between January 20 and 25. It means Ashwin will be available for three-four games at the end of the season for one of those teams, plus finals should the team he signs with qualify. ESPNcricinfo understands that his deal will also include the BBL for the 2026-27 season.BBL clubs can only play three overseas players in their XI. Each of the clubs has already locked three players in via the league’s pre-signing rules and the June overseas draft. Clubs can sign an additional four overseas replacement players, meaning they can have up to seven on their list, but only three can play at any one time. Also, if any of the teams release an international player for SA20, Ashwin could fit in as a replacement for him.The league rules state that replacement overseas players have to nominate themselves for the draft, which Ashwin did not as he had not retired from IPL cricket at the time. But there is an exemption for overseas players to be allowed to play in the BBL if their circumstances have changed. Former New Zealand batter Martin Guptill was previously signed by Melbourne Renegades in 2022-23 after retiring from international cricket despite missing the inaugural BBL overseas draft. England star Nat Sciver-Brunt was allowed to play for Perth Scorchers in the WBBL after being cleared by the ECB, having initially been ruled out of nominating for the draft due to injury.The club that signs Ashwin will still have to fit his salary inside their overall purse, much of which will already have been allocated for most squads, but there will likely be an additional marketing agreement with Cricket Australia that will not count towards the salary cap for the team that lands him.Teams can also go over the cap by 5% in a particular year with approval from the league’s technical committee, provided that it is offset over a three-year period.

The Seattle Mariners were able to edge the Pittsburgh Pirates, 1-0, on Saturday night, but the score could have been a little different if the home plate umpire hadn't made such a bad call in the third inning.

Seattle had two runners on with two outs when Randy Arozarena was struck out on a 3-2 pitch that looked to be well out of the strike zone. Instead of the bases becoming loaded, the inning came to an end, leaving the game tied at 0-0.

Mariners announcer Aaron Goldsmith didn't hold back on the umpire, Chris Guccione, saying: "Oooh, that is not a good call! Arozarena rung up on ball four."

That's another rough look for an ump, which there have been plenty of so far this season.

The Mariners were still able to improve to 47-42 on the year and sit seven games back of the Houston Astros in the AL West.

The England batter is confident that the lower order can knock off the remaining 35 runs to seal the series

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Aug-20251:44

Sanjay Bangar: India could have bowled straighter to Root

Joe Root has no doubts about the hosts lifting the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy on Monday, because he believes England have enough batters in the lower order that can get the remaining 35 runs and deny India the chance to draw the five-match series.”I’d like to think we have got what we need to get across the line tomorrow,” Root said after the day’s play on Sunday, having made a match-turning century, his third in the series where he is the second-highest run-maker. “It’s been one hell of a series, one hell of a journey and the confidence in our dressing room, clearly we feel we have got the players to get us across the line. But it’s just been one of those sort of five matches in six weeks where it’s swung both ways the whole time. And we are in for a great day tomorrow.”An hour into the final session, the light worsened, and the umpires duly stopped play. It wasn’t just the Indians – who had struck twice after the tea break – who were disappointed, but the fans as well. Their spirits were dampened further by rain, forcing the umpires to call off play about an hour before the cut-off time. The Oval booed the decision, but both Root and India’s assistant coach Morne Morkel had no qualms about play being aborted.Related

Brook's distorted reality brings England's dream into focus

Root says shoulder injury won't prevent Woakes from batting

India claw back after Brook, Root tons to set up thrilling finish

“There’s pros and cons to both really,” Root said about the poor light which disrupted the drama-filled phase post tea, when Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna built pressure from both ends in unison, attacking the wickets and forcing batters to defend hard without giving any scoring opportunities. “Guys have bowled a lot, there’s overs in their legs. You get back out there and you get a couple of boundaries away and all of a sudden the game looks very different again. But then again you come back tomorrow, you get another (use of heavy) roller, (players) can rest up and it’s a completely new opportunity. You just sit and wait and do what you’re told. So from our point of view, you come back tomorrow and got an amazing spectacle to look forward to.”Morkel agreed with Root. “As we can see it’s pretty wet out there now. It’s going to take them a while to get the covers off. The ground staff has been incredible this whole sort of Test match with breaks and getting the surface ready to play. So end of the day that’s out of our control.”England will get the opportunity to have the heavy roller first thing in the morning which, as was the case on Sunday morning, could prove beneficial in run-making with the moisture bedded down in the first half-hour. Morkel, though, wasn’t concerned.”Tomorrow we can just focus on doing a good warm-up and get the boys ready to hopefully get the ball in the right area and yeah, create a little bit of excitement again.”Root said the heavy roller had been an “advantage” every time England have used it in the series. “In terms of the roller, we’ll see. I haven’t got a crystal ball unfortunately, but it has made an impact so far throughout this game. Whether that changes on day five, we’ll see, but hopefully it works well in our favor in flattening things out.”

The Red Sox will leave no stone unturned in their pivotal Game 3 matchup against the Yankees on Thursday night.

When speaking with reporters ahead of first pitch from Yankee Stadium, manager Alex Cora revealed how Boston will use its bullpen behind 23-year-old starting pitcher Connelly Early—and they're using an all-hands-on-deck strategy.

Despite Brayan Bello starting Game 2, a 3-2 loss to New York, the 26-year-old will be in Boston's bullpen and available to pitch. Additionally, relief pitcher Garrett Whitlock—who threw a season-high 47 pitches across 1 2/3 innings on Wednesday night—will also be ready to roll.

"There's guys that are feeling it, but they're ready to go," said the skipper. "Let's put it that way."

Cora also didn't fully shut down the idea of ace Garrett Crochet taking the bump if necessary: "We'll see, but probably not."

Despite a willingness to bring in just about anyone from the bullpen, however, Cora also sounds like he has confidence in Early to give them a respectable outing from the jump.

"I think we're in a good place regardless,” he said. "Hopefully he goes deep into the game and we don't have to make too many phone calls to the bullpen."

Here's a look at who Boston will start in the field behind Early:

Red Sox Lineup for Game 3 vs. Yankees

1. Jarren Duran – LF
2. Trevor Story – SS
3. Alex Bregman – 3B
4. Masataka Yoshida – DH
5. Ceddanne Rafaela – CF
6. Nathaniel Lowe – 1B
7. Carlos Narváez – C
8. Wilyer Abreu – RF
9. Romy Gonzalez – 2B

Game 3's first pitch from Yankee Stadium is set for 8:08 p.m. ET and will air on ESPN.

Lamine Yamal scored one and set up another as Barcelona came from behind to defeat Alaves 3-1 to rise to the top of La Liga on Saturday afternoon. Hansi Flick’s side bounced back from their Champions League defeat against Chelsea in midweek with a tight victory which saw them claim top spot ahead of Real Madrid’s trip to Girona on Sunday evening.

In just their second match back at the renovated Camp Nou, Barcelona found themselves 1-0 down inside the first minute when midfielder Marc Casado fluffed his clearance from a corner before keeping onside Alaves’ Pablo Ibanez, who tapped home from close range. However, the hosts were level when Yamal found the back of the net from Raphinha’s excellent cutback, before the Brazil star soon set up Dani Olmo to make it 2-1 in what was an end-to-end first half.

Dominating possession without creating too many chances in a stop-start second half, Barcelona soon turned to substitute Pedri, who made his return from a leg injury sustained in October's Clasico defeat against Real. And the 23-year-old quickly made his influence count, teeing up Yamal who almost found the top left corner with an ambitious effort from distance.

Performing admirably while camped in their own half, Alaves had a couple of rare opportunities to make it 2-2 when striker Lucas Boye’s low effort forced an important block from Barcelona defender Pau Cubarsi, before goalkeeper Joan Garcia made a super stop to deny substitute Jon Guridi. However, the Blaugrana made Eduardo Coudet's visitors’ pay late on when Olmo played a lovely give-and-go with Yamal before slotting home his second of the game.

With the comeback victory wrapped up, Flick's men moved two points clear of fierce rivals Real ahead of their game against 18th-placed Girona on Sunday.

GOAL rates Barcelona's players from Camp Nou…

Getty Images SportGoalkeeper & Defence

Joan Garcia (7/10):

On the deck and in all sorts of trouble, the shot-stopper made an incredible recovery save as he rose to deny Alaves' Jonny Otto in the first half. The Spaniard then thwarted midfielder Guridi late on.

Eric Garcia (5/10):

The utility man found it difficult to contain Alaves winger Abderrahman Rebbach in the first half, before being replaced by Jules Kounde after the break.

Pau Cubarsi (7/10):

In a cool and composed performance, the youngster made a crucial interception as Alaves' Boye went close to making it 2-2 in the dying stages.

Gerard Martin (6/10):

Playing out of position at centre-back, the defender recovered from a shaky start by recording the pre-assist for Olmo's first-half effort.

Alejandro Balde (7/10):

Marauding forward at every opportunity, the influential left-back slipped in Raphinha in the lead up to Yamal's equaliser.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportMidfield

Marc Bernal (5/10):

Looking to impress after struggling for minutes following his return from injury, the midfielder was quiet before being replaced at the interval.

Marc Casado (5/10):

The midfielder was at fault for Alaves' goal, failing to clear the corner before keeping midfielder Ibanez onside. He grew into the game, however, showing good composure on the ball.

Dani Olmo (8/10):

Operating as the No. 10, the midfielder crashed the box to convert Raphinha's lovely cross and complete Barcelona's first-half turnaround. And the Spain international made it 3-1 late on, sending the ball beyond Alaves goalkeeper and captain Antonio Sivera.

Getty Images SportAttack

Lamine Yamal (8/10):

Dribbling past Alaves left-back Victor Parada time and time again, the winger made it 1-1 with a tidy finish but he should have scored moments later, hitting the post after rounding Alaves' Sivera. In the final moments of the game, the wonderkid helped Barcelona wrap up the victory as he teed up Olmo with a crisp through ball.

Robert Lewandowski (6/10):

While goalscoring opportunities were few and far between, the striker was neat and tidy with his hold-up play, offering a platform for the likes of Yamal and Raphinha.

Raphinha (8/10):

In what was a terrific performance from the stand-in captain, the forward provided the two crosses which led to Yamal and Olmo's first-half goals. He then had a great chance to score himself but he was thwarted by Sivera one-on-one.

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Getty Images SportSubs & Manager

Jules Kounde (6/10):

Brought on at half-time for Eric Garcia, the France international almost registered an assist but Olmo was unable to convert from his dangerous cross.

Andreas Christensen (N/A):

A late substitute, the centre-back was unable to make enough of an impact.

Pedri (7/10):

In his first appearance since last month's Clasico, the midfielder showed no signs of rustiness, setting up Yamal who went close with a long-range effort.

Ferran Torres (6/10):

A second-half substitute, the former Manchester City man received little service despite Barcelona controlling possession.

Marcus Rashford (6/10):

Replacing Marc Bernal for the second half, the forward was fairly lively, twisting and teasing his way past Alaves' Otto.

Hansi Flick (6/10):

With the scoreline tight, the German was proactive with his substitutions, watching on as Pedri impressed following his return from injury.

Against Punjab Kings, Rajasthan Royals showed what they can do if they utilise their resources optimally

Shashank Kishore05-Apr-20251:25

Boucher: Archer’s pace and rhythm show he’s back

Over the past few seasons, Rajasthan Royals (RR) have often embraced audacity in their pursuit of flexibility, but Saturday’s IPL 2025 game against Punjab Kings (PBKS), their fourth game of the season, was perhaps the T20 prototype they were looking for.They arrived in Mullanpur buoyed by a morale-boosting win over Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in Guwahati, but were the first to acknowledge the issues that needed addressing. The most pressing concern: Yashasvi Jaiswal’s struggle for fluency at the top.Jaiswal has looked like a shadow of the explosive batter who lit up IPL 2023 – a season where he struck at over 175 in the powerplay and smashed a record 13-ball half-century. In stark contrast, since IPL 2024, he had already been dismissed ten times in the powerplay – the joint-third-highest in the tournament.Related

• Sandeep: To be in the XI, 'you have to bring something to the table'

• Jaiswal still 'trying too hard, too early', says Jaffer

• Archer leads PBKS demolition job after Jaiswal & Co set the platform for Royals

On Saturday, Jaiswal shook off the cobwebs to lay the foundation for a commanding performance. His half-century wasn’t the most dazzling, but it was marked by a gritty battle with himself. By the time he was dismissed, Jaiswal had offered more than a glimpse of the ferocious ball-striker he can be – rushing from 46 off 39 to 67 off 44 before being bowled by Lockie Ferguson.Jaiswal’s return to form, combined with Sanju Samson’s full-fledged comeback as captain-batter-wicketkeeper after recovering from a finger injury, powered RR to their highest opening partnership of the season – 89. Crucially, it was also the first time the first pair lasted beyond the powerplay.This was a massive tick because the composition of their squad, combined with how they utilise the Impact Player – six batters even when batting first, unlike other teams that bolster their line-up with an extra hitter – leaves them exposed when the top order fails.Their improved batting also seemed to reduce their reliance on Riyan Parag. Parag, who had captained in the first three games, looked unshackled on Saturday as he made an unbeaten 25-ball 43. He batted knowing RR still had Nitish Rana – fresh off a sensational 36-ball 81 against CSK last week – to come and not as many overs to deal with as he had to when the openers failed.This also meant they no longer had to resort to unconventional tactics, like promoting Wanindu Hasaranga to lengthen their batting order. With Shimron Hetmyer at No. 5 and Dhruv Jurel at No. 6, they eliminated the need for makeshift solutions. Yet, you couldn’t help but wonder why Hetmyer had ever batted at No. 8, below an Impact Player, after being retained to fulfill the role of the finisher.2:28

Did the two teams read the pitch differently?

All told, theirs wasn’t a flawless batting show, but the ideal batting line-up – one that, when in full flow, can dominate the best attacks – was on display. This power-packed line-up propelled them to the first 200-plus total in Mullanpur in the IPL, which Sandeep Sharma later said was well “above par” on a pitch that “wasn’t all that good”.The batting unit looked so settled that Samson even suggested it was something they “just have to stick to”, believing they had finally found the “right batting order and right entry points” for batters.This left them even with the freedom to go through their bowling innings without having to press for Kumar Kartikeya’s left-arm versatility – he can bowl the orthodox offbreak as well as wristspin – as an Impact Player.The contest seemed to be over well before Kartikeya even came on, thanks to Jofra Archer’s fiery new-ball spell. His electrifying first over was sheer popcorn stuff. Though, if you ask young Priyansh Arya and Shreyas Iyer, they might vehemently disagree.Arya was undone first ball, almost squared up by genuine seam movement that sent his off stump cartwheeling. Iyer responded with intent, lofting two elegant shots over the covers, but Archer had the last laugh. A sharp, short ball aimed at the ribs, drifting down leg, that was called wide may have unsettled Iyer just enough to tempt a retort – one that saw him expose all stumps in an ambitious swipe. The result: stumps and bails flying in opposite directions.1:06

What forced Jaiswal to score a 40-ball fifty?

Archer was fired up – a far cry from the tentative, perhaps even slightly undercooked, version that had emerged from England’s spring chill into India’s unforgiving summer, returning figures of 0 for 109 in just 6.3 overs across his first two games.Was it the fear of another injury holding him back? Or simply the brutal combination of harsh conditions and a rampant Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) batting line-up that made things look worse than they were? On Saturday, Archer delivered a proper riposte.His burst allowed all the moving parts of the RR attack to function the way they were designed to. Like Sandeep bowling two upfront and two at the death to close out the game, and their Sri Lankan spin twins of Maheesh Theekshana and Hasaranga manning the middle overs and overcoming the Nehal Wadhera and Glenn Maxwell threat.This is the template they like, and with two consecutive wins, RR now have a bit more leeway than they seemed to have. It’s also likely that Rahul Dravid’s notepad on Saturday had far fewer notes in red as a result.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Santos anunciou, neste sábado (23), que atingiu a marca de 40 mil ingressos vendidos para o duelo contra o Red Bull Bragantino, pela semifinal do Campeonato Paulista, que será disputado na Neo Química Arena, casa do do Corinthians.

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➡️ Mamma mia! Aposte R$100 no Lance! Betting e leve R$210 se Equador x Itália tiver três gols ou mais!

Nas redes sociais, Marcelo Teixeira, presidente do peixe, comemorou a marca e revelou que a torcida está próxima de esgotar a carga total de ingressos destinada para o confronto eliminatório.

“Estamos próximos de esgotar os ingressos, parabéns a todos!”, escreveu o mandatário em uma publicação no Instagram.

Para atuar no estádio do rival, o Alvinegro Praiano terá que arcar com os custos operacionais da partida, que são de aproximadamente R$ 800 mil.

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A oportunidade de levar maior público e, consequentemente, obter maior lucro, foi o principal motivo que levou a diretoria do Santos a alterar o local do confronto.

O Peixe, que não disputa uma final de Paulistão desde 2016, encara o Bragantino na próxima quarta-feira (27), às 20h30 (de Brasília), na Neo Química Arena, pela semifinal da competição estadual.

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Campeonato PaulistaFutebol NacionalRB BragantinoSantos